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Bi polar disorder is a serious mental illness affecting approximately two million Americans today, including children and adolescents. It is characterized by extreme mood swings between mania and depression, or combination of the two known as mixed episodes.Recognizing and diagnosing bi polar disorder can be quite complex. Often children can display bipolar symptoms that are easily confused with other types of mental disorders including ADHD. Adolescents often display unpredictable and moody behaviors. In adults bi polar disorder symptoms may be mistaken as part of a person’s difficult nature. However when bi polar disorder symptoms impair social, cognitive and school or employment abilities then medical care workers tend to make an accurate diagnosis.Medical treatment for bipolar symptoms is usually at the top of the list although it can be quite tricky to use with young children. Anti-depressants must be carefully monitored in case they trigger frequent manic episodes. Usually these are combined with mood stabilizers in order to counteract this effect. In adolescents, the same drugs tend to be quite effective as those used by adults.Medications that are used often to control bipolar symptoms begin with the traditional drug known as lithium. Lithium is basically a salt. It interacts with the body’s natural chemistry and functionsas a mood stabilizer. However lithium is not always effective with every patient’s bipolar symptoms and there are many more current and effective drugs on the market today.Other mood stabilizers have come onto the market more recently. They tend to provide a faster and more desired reaction in patients. Often they provide multiple functions as these drugs can also be used as anticoagulants for people suffering from seizures and other bipolar symptoms.Other medications for bi polar symptoms include anti-psychotics. These drugs are designed to prevent the bi polar disorder patient from experiencing visual and audio hallucinations. Anti-anxiety drugs tend to control anxiety as well as provide relief from spontaneous angry outbursts.Other than medical treatment various forms of counseling are offered to patients who experience bi polar disorder symptoms. Psychiatric counseling between bipolar patient and doctor is typical. Lately group therapy is also considered very helpful. In group therapy several individuals diagnosed with bi polar disorder meet to discuss the illness and various ways of handling its side effects.A more controversial approach to the severe depression that accompanies bi polar symptoms is the use of electroconvulsive shock therapy, or ECT. There are many myths surrounding this procedure in order to treat bipolar symptoms. It may be erroneously believed that patients are forced to undergo ECT against their will. However a patient who is lucid and objective about his or her bi polar disorder symptoms s is usually a part of the decision-making process in the use of ECT. Patients who are suffering from extreme bipolar symptoms and are a risk to themselves or others may have ECT administered without their permission, except frequently in these situations relatives are contacted for permission to undergo the procedure.